PEORIA — Police attempted to use non-lethal means to subdue a threatening dog Tuesday but ended up killing the animal anyway, according to a report.

Officers were called about 6 p.m. to the 1500 block of South Livingston Street for two pit bulls running loose and attacking people.

When the first officer arrived on scene, one dog growled, showed its teeth and lunged for the squad car before the officer exited the vehicle, according to a report.

That officer radioed for assistance from the Peoria County Animal Protective Society and waited for help to arrive.

The animal control officer could not approach one dog without the other becoming aggressive and lunging in a threatening manner, the report stated.

The police officer then stunned the first dog with a Taser so PCAPS could take control of it, and requested that backup officers have a second Taser and lethal force ready if the second dog attacked while the first was being subdued.

“This plan was devised to try and avoid using deadly force on the dogs and to protect officers on scene, as well as the general public,” Officer Nicholas Mason wrote in his report.

While the first dog was stunned, the second attacked. Backup officers then stunned that animal, as well.

The first dog was still able to escape the animal control officer and run back to its home, where it jumped a fence and entered the house through a doggy door. The second dog died after being stunned.

The owner of the dogs, Jace Earp, 31, of 1520 S. Livingston St., was out of town but told police over the phone that his dogs are never aggressive toward him or his kids. He said neighborhood children let his dogs out of his yard and mess with them.

A neighbor, however, told police the dogs frequently jump the fence and had chased two small girls down the street Tuesday before the confrontation with police.

Matt Buedel can be reached at 686-3154 or mbuedel@pjstar.com. Follow him on Twitter @JournoBuedel.